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User: Muad'Dave

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  1. Re:You're confusing yourself on Minn. Supreme Court Upholds City's Right To Build Own Network · · Score: 1

    If you don't want county water or sewer, you don't have to pay for it, but then you won't get service.

    Not where I live. If there's service in front of your house, connection is mandatory and your private well and septic system will be condemned.

    Hookup is around $6,000, IIRC.

  2. Re:Fail? on Minn. Supreme Court Upholds City's Right To Build Own Network · · Score: 1

    In Austin, TX the city runs the electric service. The residential rate is 3.5 cents per kwh for under 500 kwh, and 7.5 cents per kwh over 500.

    That's odd; I thought most places charge less for usage above their break point (but as you can see, my provider flip-flops based on season - it didn't do that in years gone by). My power company's rates reflect this for the winter months, at least - the first 800 kWh are charged at 4.073 cents/kWh, and 3.205 cents/kWh for usage above 800 kWh. The summer is reversed, however. 6.051 cents/kWh for the first 800 kWh, and 4.073 cents/kWh thereafter. That's new for me, AFAIK.

  3. Re:Fail? on Minn. Supreme Court Upholds City's Right To Build Own Network · · Score: 1

    I had a similar experience with [Cable company X]. I subscribe to their internet service only. They called and wanted me to add at least basic cable TV (to boost their cable vs satellite subscriber numbers, no doubt), claiming that having both services would be cheaper than internet alone. When I asked if that included the taxes, surcharges, etc, and if the final bill would be less, the rep got quiet. Busted! I had no desire to artificially inflate their TV subscriber numbers, and certainly not if it would cost me more despite their unscrupulous and misleading propaganda.

  4. Re:ROEI, Return on Energy Invested on Wind Could Provide 100% of World Energy Needs · · Score: 1

    Wind power is just a really crappy way to harness solar power, since that's the source of much of the wind in the first place.

  5. Re:Is that supposed to be a joke? on Wind Could Provide 100% of World Energy Needs · · Score: 1

    The solution: IFR's. There are enough fissionable materials already mined for 100 years of energy production, the waste from IFRs are only a concern for 500 years vs 10,000 for once-thru reactors (since it burns up the actinides), they can burn up weapons-grade plutonium, their waste is _less_ of a concern for plutonium proliferation, are passively stable, and their waste output is tiny in comparison to today's wasteful reactors.

    See also this article.

    Aside from the power (no pun intended) of the big oil/big coal lobby, I don't understand why any intelligent person who can weigh the risks of our current energy situation against the risks and benefits of these reactors wouldn't be gung-ho in favor of them.

  6. Re:First post? on Watch TV On Your Satnav · · Score: 1

    How about some interface with the car media player. You could then set the sat-nav to mute the music when it wants to say something.

    My 2003 Mini Cooper S factory nav system does that. I didn't realize that all in-dash systems didn't. The voice of my nav system (Fiona) mutes whatever I'm listening to when she wants to tell me something.

    I've had a lot of people wonder if she's a scofflaw; it sounds like she says, "If possible make ILLEGAL U-turn" instead of "If possible, make A LEGAL U-turn".

  7. Re:If we have to choose on White House Panel Considers New Paths To Space · · Score: 1

    Hospital meds are free where we come from (as is the entire hospital experience)...

    They're not free. Instead of paying for them when you need them, you just pay for them over and over out of every paycheck whether you (or anyone else) need them or not.

  8. Re:It was for a seminar on ACLU Sues DHS Over Unlawful Searches and Detention · · Score: 1

    Doh! Thanks.

  9. Re:Master and Margarita on ACLU Sues DHS Over Unlawful Searches and Detention · · Score: 1

    Many 7-11 ATMs are set up to cash paychecks, hence the large bills. You can get exact change from them - you want $10.34? It'll dispense it, coins and all.

  10. Re:It was for a seminar on ACLU Sues DHS Over Unlawful Searches and Detention · · Score: 1

    Notgeld happens.

  11. Re:Article mentions Baltimore on US Plans To Bulldoze 50 Shrinking Cities · · Score: 1

    That's one of the 'trouble areas' I was talking about. That area used to be the industrial hub of the city, and had quite a few tobacco and farm product-based businesses. Now there's not much but poverty and crime.

    Too bad you didn't get a chance to see the beautiful areas north of the river. The next time you're here, give me a shout @ k4det at A double-R L dot net.

  12. Re:As long as we're targeting nukes... on US Plans To Bulldoze 50 Shrinking Cities · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Californian here! Can Sacramento go third?

    Californian here! Can California go third?

    There, fixed that for ya.

  13. Re:Article mentions Baltimore on US Plans To Bulldoze 50 Shrinking Cities · · Score: 1

    What part of the city were you in? I live north of the city and sometimes work downtown. Some of the blight precedes the current unpleasantness.

  14. Re:Article mentions Baltimore on US Plans To Bulldoze 50 Shrinking Cities · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Jesus saves sinners and redeems them for valuable cash prizes.

    Gretzky shoots, Jesus saves, he shoots, he scores!

  15. Re:Perhaps can start with Crawford, TX on US Plans To Bulldoze 50 Shrinking Cities · · Score: 1

    I don't know about that. Seeing some liberal whack-job living in a ditch for a few months had some entertainment value.

  16. Re:Fucking idiots on FDA Says Homeopathic Cure Can Cause Loss of Smell · · Score: 1

    I didn't say it was simple or cheap, but it tells the absolute truth, even is the patient is asleep.

    Plus, it's cool. 8-)

  17. Re:Im sorry on Gold Sold From Vending Machines In Germany · · Score: 1

    I didn't say it was insurance against the gov't, although I guess that was the context of the ongoing discussion. It cetainly could be used for that, if it became necessary. I was (and am) more concerned about the results of a natural disaster when the looting starts, or someone breaking into my home.

    It seems that everyone thinks the police are there to "protect and serve" - they're not. They have no responsibility for your safety at all; ask any domestic abuse victim that's been told "we can't do anything until he beats you." You're the only one who can protect yourself and your loved ones from violence.

    I'm not anti-police, but defense/protection is simply not something that they can provide to everyone, everywhere, all the time.

  18. Re:Copper is King! on Gold Sold From Vending Machines In Germany · · Score: 1

    Weight would probably be your best bet, or, believe it or not, sound.

    All pennies are copper on the outside, so unless the eddy currents run deep, there'd be no difference.

    A penny weighs 3.1 - 3.2 g (pre 1982) and 2.5 g (post 1982). That should be detectable.

    The best way might be to strike or drop each penny and 'listen' to the sound it makes. If you drop a pre-82 penny and a post-82 penny on a hard surface, you can clearly hear the difference. The pre-82 penny rings quite a bit more than the 'thud' of the post-82.

  19. Re:Im sorry on Gold Sold From Vending Machines In Germany · · Score: 1

    I can't imagine living in a country where fear of your fellow countrymen is the norm.

    Living in the US and being an avid firearm enthusiast, I can assure you that we do not live in fear of our fellow citizens.

    Aside from target shooting and hunting, firearms are an insurance policy against the unthinkable. Do you have fire and flood insurance? Same thing. I bet you don't spend every day in fear of fire or flood, but you have insurance just in case.

  20. Re:Im sorry on Gold Sold From Vending Machines In Germany · · Score: 1
    That's why Notgeld came about. It was a somewhat-official barter currency used to evade hyperinflation, for one thing.

    Note [hah, that was a pun, son!] that many Notgeld notes are very pretty indeed, and are in fact aggressively collected, bought, and sold.

  21. Re:Im sorry on Gold Sold From Vending Machines In Germany · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That's why I invest in gold _and_ lead.

  22. Re:What I really want to know on Solid State Drives Tested With TRIM Support · · Score: 1

    IIRC, Linux does not use the BIOS at all once booted - that's what it's doing poking around on all those buses discovering hardware during startup.

  23. Re:Fucking idiots on FDA Says Homeopathic Cure Can Cause Loss of Smell · · Score: 2, Informative

    ...pretend that you lost a sense of smell (let me see them prove otherwise)...

    Since your claim is that the nerves are damaged, a quick fMRI would prove that your brain is receiving signals from you undamaged nerves.

  24. Re:More Giant Circles on 6000-Year-Old Tomb Complex Discovered · · Score: 1

    Here are more strange markings. Clearly these ancient marks were made by sun worshipers - note how the lines radiate out from a central 'bright' area. Also note how there are 20 segments - clearly a nod to the ancient Mesopotamians who were enamored with the number 60 (and sub-multiples thereof).
    Notice how animals are attracted to the 'tombs' - perhaps they are the descendants of ancient sacrificial animals bred specifically for that purpose and somehow retain a genetic memory of their fate.

    Oh, and in case you didn't notice, <sarcasm>

  25. Re:isn't 1st light a traditional publicity point on Herschel Space Telescope Opens For the First Time · · Score: 1

    I'm with you. I was going to post a "Pics or it didn't happen" comment, but there really aren't any pics! Yawn.